Information management and policy in a Web 2.0 World

Web 2.0 is not new but we have yet to address some of the challenges this technology brings to us. As a tool, W2.0 gives us the flexibility of supporting the task of providing constituents with access to information – in a way that is easy, understandable and transparent. But how do we deal with the information management policies in a world where the author of important pieces of information are crowds of people? where information is re-purposed numerous times? Mashups are an incredible way to leverage information resources… who is the author and who gets credit? a mashup of a mashup complicates things beyond that. And then there are issues of digital preservation and archiving? So many questions, so little answers…

We have agencies that are actively implementing Web 2.0 technologies and others are so behind that refuse to even talk about social networks or social media sites. One critical issue is the fact that some institutions are trying to apply print document rules, policies and regulations to Web 2.0 “publications”. That’s interesting… I feel a bit powerless, I have to confess, because we are still at a stage in which some people are already talking about Web 3.0 and others still think W2.0 is just a buzzword that will leave us soon – *sigh* If we could all sit together and discuss, develop and address concepts, find common ground to address the challenges…

Does anyone know of a room big enough?? 🙂